


Spirit of Bad Fortune

by R_S_B



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 00:11:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12353403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/R_S_B/pseuds/R_S_B
Summary: After B'Elanna tells Tom more about her past relationship with Max Burke, she has to deal with the realization that she didn't know him as well as she thought.





	Spirit of Bad Fortune

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Photogirl1890](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Photogirl1890/gifts).



> Written for Photogirl1890, who gave me the following prompt: After ‘Equinox’, Tom learns a bit more about B’Elanna’s relationship with Max Burke.
> 
> The first part takes place during the episode Equinox, and the second part takes place after. 
> 
> As always, many MANY thanks to Sareki and to CaptAcorn, who for some reason are still both willing to put up with me and to devote time to making my writing better. I would be nowhere without them.

### I.

B’Elanna Torres was exhausted.

The whole crew had been pulling double shifts to repair the _Equinox_. Her engineering teams had been working around the clock, and while it would have been completely justified for her to take a break, she always felt guilty about leaving when there was work to be done. And there was _plenty_ of work to be done.

But when Joe Carey had come off of his own break and asked her, without a hit of irony in his voice, if she were ill, she had finally given in. She was halfway to her quarters when her commbadge chirped.

“Paris to Torres.”

“Torres here,” she replied, smiling at the formality of Tom’s public address.

“I heard you are finally off and thought you might like some food.”

Her stomachs rumbled at the mere suggestion.

“How could you possibly have known I was off already?”

“Joe,” Tom responded simply.

B’Elanna let out a huff of exasperation at her team conspiring with her boyfriend to take care of her, but she was too exhausted to call them on it.

Tom’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “So, you coming over or not?”

B’Elanna smiled. “Well, now, that depends.”

“Oh? Did I catch you at a bad time? Got a hot date with Mark?”

“His name is not Mark,” B’Elanna growled. Tom’s resulting laughter told her his mistake had been intentional, but she ignored him. “And no. I do not. And if you want me to come over, you better shut your mouth about Burke.”

“Fine. No discussion whatsoever about your ex who miraculously showed up in the Delta Quadrant. Now get over here. I’ve got some credits to burn, so you can have whatever you want for dinner. My treat.”

B’Elanna sighed. She was out of rations and he knew it. And her shoulders were _aching_. Tom was nothing if not talented with his hands, and the thought of laying in Tom’s bed while he massaged her shoulders sounded like perfection. But there was one thing she knew she had to do first, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.

She had to tell Tom he was right about something.

He was going to be unbearable.

“Computer, deck three.”

* * *

When she entered his quarters, she saw him hovering over the replicator, dressed only in his grey undershirt and black pants.

He looked up at her and smiled. “Hey.”

B’Elanna held her arms out, beckoning him to her. His smile widened as he moved to her, taking her in his arms. “I’m exhausted,” she murmured into his chest.

“I bet.” His fingers began to knead lightly into her back and she melted into him.

“That feels amazing.” She pulled back to look up at him. “But food first.”

“Yes, ma’am. I just made myself some pizza if you want any.”

B’Elanna made a face. “No more pizza.” She moved to his sofa and sat down heavily. “What about a burrito? That new recipe you found was pretty good.”

After they were done eating, B’Elanna leaned back against the sofa. “So… there’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Tom stuffed the last bite of pizza crust into his mouth and turned to look at her. She must have looked uncomfortable, because he began to smile. “It’s about Max, isn’t it?”

B’Elanna groaned. “Yes.”

“He asked you out!”

Her face twisted into a grimace. “Yes,” she admitted.

“Ha! I knew it! I knew I couldn’t trust that guy.”

“Tom,” B’Elanna admonished. “It isn’t a trust issue! He hasn’t seen me in ten years. He didn’t know I was in a relationship. I explained it. You have nothing to worry about.”

Tom snorted. “Okay, sure.”

“Tom!”

He looked at her skeptically. “Well, I hope you’re right. I wouldn’t want to have to punch the first officer of the _Equinox_ in the face. I might get demoted to crewman.”

B’Elanna glared. “Don’t you even joke about that! And you know, regardless of what Max does, you can trust _me_.”

"I _do_ trust you,” Tom insisted. Then he grinned. “I trust you to punch him the face yourself if he tries anything."

B’Elanna chuckled. "Damn straight, Paris."

“Besides, I bet he doesn't know how to massage your shoulders just the way you like.”

“Are you offering?”

“Anything for an overworked and very deserving Chief Engineer,” he quipped with a smile.

B’Elanna smiled and turned around so that she face away from him. Then she pulled her jacket off and Tom dug strong, practiced fingers into her muscles. “So,” he began, “what's the story with Max, anyway? How long did you two date?"

Her eyes had fallen shut, but a suspicious one popped open in response to his words. “Why do you want to know?”

“It’s a reasonable question.” His hands moved lower down her back. “Besides, I didn’t realize you liked ‘tall, dark, and handsome’,” he teased.

Swinging around, B’Elanna smacked Tom hard in the shoulder.

“Ow!”

“Serves you right,” she mumbled.

“Sorry! No more teasing, I promise.” She turned back around and Tom returned to her shoulders. “So… tell me about him.”

B’Elanna frowned. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. How did you meet? When did you start dating? Why did you break up? I guess I don’t actually know much about the life of _Cadet_ Torres.”

Thinking back, B’Elanna let a small smile slide over her face. “I was nineteen when we met, in my sophomore year at the Academy. Max was a junior, but we were in the same engineering class because I’d skipped the introductory  classes.”

Tom chuckled softly. “Of course.”

“We were partnered on a project and seemed to be getting along well. It took me a while to realize he was trying to flirt with me.”

At this, Tom barked out a laugh. “Was he that bad at it?”

“No!” B’Elanna insisted. “It wasn’t that. I wasn’t really used to human men flirting with me back then. And when they did, it was usually because they wanted to act out all their Klingon sex fantasies. But Max flirted with me like a normal person. He liked me.”

“So what happened?”

“We dated for about four months.” She hesitated before continuing. “But… you know how things go, especially when you are young. Things happen… people go in different directions.” She gave a vague wave into the air.

“Sure,” Tom agreed. There was something in his voice that told her he didn’t completely believe it had been that simple, but he didn’t push and she was glad. She wasn’t about to go into detail about how she’d gotten scared and started pushing him away until he left her.

“Well,” he continued, “it’s a good thing I’m too stubborn to let something like that happen.” His hands moved lower and she expected him to start undressing her, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. “You’re exhausted,” he murmured against her neck. “Maybe you should go to bed.”

“I think you’re right.”

Tom’s chuckle made her turn around. “That seems to be the theme of the evening.”

B’Elanna mock-scowled. “Don't get used to it, Paris.”

 

### II.

B’Elanna Torres was always at her most productive when was angry. And B’Elanna Torres had been _very_ productive today.

She knew logically that she _should_ feel exhausted, but she didn’t. She was energized. Her rage was like an endless supply of fuel and the rush of satisfaction she got when she finished a task or fixed a problem was electrifying. Carey and Vorik had both already made attempts to relieve her already, but she’d shooed them both away.

Alone in a corner of Engineering, she glared at the self-sealing stem bolt that refused to release under the pressure of her decoupler, and imaged it was Max’s face. She twisted harder.

“Hey.”

B’Elanna jumped at the voice behind her and the decoupler slipped out of her fingers and clattered on the floor. “Shit!” she muttered. Turning around, she faced the source of the voice. “Look, Tom, Carey and Vorik have already tried. I’m not leaving, so how about you save your breath.” She scowled when she saw that Tom wasn't leaving.

Annoyingly, he just smiled at her. “I know,” he insisted. “That’s why I brought you a snack.” He pulled a ration bar out of his pocket and passed it to her. “I know it’s not exactly gourmet, “ he offered, “but I thought it would help keep your energy up.”

“Thanks,” B’Elanna muttered, taking the ration bar from him and sitting down on the deck. She tore open one end and took a bite and for once, it wasn’t half bad, though she suspected that had more to do with her hunger than with the ration bar itself.

“Look,” he began, “I’m sorry about what happened to Max… “

B’Elanna paused mid-bite and glared up at Tom before looking away. “He got what he deserved,” she told him coldly.

Tom sighed and sat down next to her, leaning back against the bulkhead. “This is someone you used to care about. You can’t tell me you aren’t sad. At least a little.”

“No! I trusted him, and he betrayed me. Us. _Voyager!_ ” She shook her head. “I should have seen it.”

“No one could have predicted this… “

“I should have.”

“Don't you think you’re being too hard on yourself?”

“ _You_ knew he wasn’t trustworthy!”

Tom stared at her, dumbfounded for a moment. “I-- I just didn't trust his intentions towards you! I didn't think he was a _murderer!_ ”

B’Elanna stood and began to pace. “Everyone must think I'm such a fool. I knew him better than anyone and I had no idea… ” She looked up at him suddenly. “No one thinks I helped him do they? I would _never--_ ”

“Of course not, B'Elanna!” he insisted, immediately jumping up to her side. He reached for her, hands clasping her shoulders and staring directly into her eyes. “No one is judging _you_ because of Max. He made his own decisions. It doesn’t have anything to do with you.” Then he shook his head. “I mean, so what? You dated him for a few months ten years ago? You were _nineteen_. I dated plenty of terrible guys when I was nineteen!” He laughed, but B’Elanna just glared.

She crossed her arms, shaking off his grip. “Not the same, Tom.”

He sighed. “I know. I’m sorry, B’Elanna. You have every right to be mad at him and feel betrayed by him. But cut yourself some slack. You knew him ten years ago. Sometimes people change.”

B’Elanna fidgeted. “That doesn’t make me feel better.”

“Huh? You lost me there.”

“I liked him, Tom. A _lot_. He was a good guy. He treated me well. And somehow that person is also the person who was willing to murder sentient beings to get home faster.” She hesitated. “If… if he could do that, what does that say about the rest of us? What does that say about _me_?”

“B’Elanna… “ Tom reached for her and she opened her arms, wrapping them around his ribs, ration bar still clutched tightly in one hand. He held her close and stroked her hair gently. “That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.” He pressed a kiss against the top of her head before continuing. “You know, I’ll be the first to admit that even good people, when pressed into a corner, can do stupid things. And bad things. But _you_? You could never do what Max did.”

B’Elanna chuckled mirthlessly into his chest. “Oh? And how can you possibly know that?”

“I’ve never known anyone who would do so much or fight so hard for others as you do. No matter the consequences, you don’t stop. It’s what made you join the Maquis, what made you speak out about the Enarans, what made you reject Moset’s help.” There was a slight catch in his voice at the mention of Moset, but Tom barreled on. “You might have struggled in the past to follow Starfleet regulations, and you might even be willing to break the rules when it really matters to you. But never to benefit yourself. To protect _others_. You would have been the first person to say what they were doing was wrong. And of that, I have no doubt.”

B’Elanna felt herself getting emotional at Tom’s assessment of her. _Maybe I really do need a break_ … She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged Tom tightly. “Thanks, Tom,” she murmured quietly. “I think… maybe I’ve just been working too long. I need a break. Clear my head.”

Tom pulled back and squeezed her upper arms. “That sounds like a good idea. How about we go to the mess hall and get some real food. Then you can get some rest. At least a nap.”

“That sounds good.”

B’Elanna fell into step behind Tom as they left Engineering. “You know,” she began softly, staring at the floor as she walked, “maybe part of me is a little sad. I don’t know if it’s just a vision of who I thought he was. Or just who he used to be. But I am sad that that person is gone. If he ever really existed.”

Tom stilled, letting her catch up to him in the entryway to Engineering and reaching out for her hand. He gave her hand a squeeze and smiled sympathetically. “I know.”


End file.
